I’m in love this this book. 
My only regret in reading this beautiful picture book is that it wasn’t created before my daughter grew up. I wish she could have gleaned this inspiration as she matured. I’m glad she will be able to share it with her daughter. This gorgeous collection includes poetry from, as the title states, the women poets of Harlem Renaissance. These pieces are shared alongside modernized adaptations from Grimes, who writes with the “The Golden Shovel” poetic method. She creates new poetry with words of the original poem to make an all-new work. Truly a fascinating method that will call for multiple reads! This book includes an introduction on Harlem Renaissance history and poetry form. It concludes with bios on the talented and educated women who authored this collection. It is told in 3 parts: “Heritage”, “Earth Mother”, and “Taking Notice”. 
Images in this collection add a whole new level to there read. Breathtaking!
Publication date for this book is set for January 5, 2021. Add this to your tbr, you won’t regret it. I received an early release copy of this title from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There are no words that can properly express my love for this book. I was woefully uninformed about the Harlem Renaissance and the women poets who did such amazing work. Nikki Grimes' contributions add greater depth to this anthology and the artwork that accompanies each set of poetry brings those words to greater life. I strongly recommend this book to everyone.

Wow! This book is extraordinary. Black women poets are highlighted next to poems inspired by them written by Nikki Grimes in a golden shovel poetry style. And each duo of poems is accompanied by breathtaking artwork created by African-American female artists. I also love the biographies about each poet and the sources in the back.

What a wonderful book. I loved the poems of the Harlem Renaissance. However I was not a big fan of Nikki Grimes poems within the book. I would have much preferred the book just focus on the poems of the Harlem women. That being said, I will most definitely be recommending this book for our store and I think it will do very well. 
Thank you netgalley for this lovely arc.

I grew up on the poetry of Langston Hughes which introduced me to the Harlem Renaissance, but until I read this book I wasn't aware of the gap in my knowledge.  I didn't know any of the female poets Grimes highlights.  

The varieties of poetic styles and language are given a unity by the accompanying poems written by Grimes, using the poetic form, the Golden Shovel, that she used previously in her book One Last Word.

Each set of poems (one by a writer from the Harlem Renaissance, one by Grimes) is illustrated by a different illustrator, tying the two poems together.  The book ends with resources including poet and illustrator biographies and a source list.

While this is being marketed for middle grade readers, I also see it having a place in high school studies of the Harlem Renaissance, as well as appealing to adult poetry readers.  A beautiful book that will hopefully find a wide audience.

Review based on an ARC from NetGalley.

Fifteen poems by Harlem Renaissance female poets are taken by Grimes and given the Golden Shovel treatment in which she takes a poem or a sentence of one of the poems and creates a companion poem using the words of that sentence in the new poem.  Grimes is a wonderful poet, but I was fascinated by the Harlem Renaissance poems and their authors just as much. So much so, I plan to look for more works by these forgotten poets. The illustrations that accompany these poems are rich in culture and engrossing. Highly recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this digital ARC. This review can also be found on my Goodreads page.

Nikki Grimes latest title Legacy: Women poets of the Harlem Renaissance provides access to numerous writer's of this historic era. Included are her own writings and amazing artwork. This belongs in every collection.

Poetry itself can be very hit or miss and I didn't particularly love the poems here, but as a book this is wonderful.
This collection pairs female Harlem Renaissance poets with Grimes's own poems based on these works, using the Golden Shovel method.
The art that is interspersed is gorgeous and honestly made me wonder if some of these artists sell prints.

An inventive take on the anthology, in which Grimes constructs “Golden Shovel” poems in response to works by women of the Harlem Renaissance. A really interesting way to showcase some lesser-known writers while proving in realtime how their works can converse with the present moment.

Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance is a beautiful book--a testament to the creativity of Black women both past and present. Nikki Grimes has gathered a beautiful collection of poems by 15 Black female poets from the Harlem Renaissance, poets largely erased from the greater literary canon. These poems are in turns haunting, inspiring, heart-breaking, and hopeful. Families. Nature. Death. Life. Creation. I was constantly picking my jaw up off the floor and wiping tears from my eyes. The poets captured so many emotions and experiences with their words, and I felt blessed to read them. 

Showcased alongside these poems are poems written by Grimes herself, using a form of poetry known as the Golden Shovel, wherein a line or stanza from an original poem is used to craft a new poem, using each word from the line or stanza as the final word in each new line. Grimes’ ability to work within such a structure and create not just sensical but powerful poems of her own highlights her exceptional talent.

And if this weren’t enough to make the book truly spectacular, the poems are accompanied by one-of-a-kind illustrations, all by modern Black female artists. 

I will be purchasing a finished copy of this book first because it’s a treasure, and second because I am excited to introduce both my children and the students I work with to these poets and their works. Nikki Grimes has provided us with more than a book of poetry. She has included an overview of the Harlem Renaissance and biographies of each poet featured in the collection, to make this a comprehensive educational experience as well as an emotional one.

Thank you so much to Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for this honest review.

What beautiful poems, both the originals by the "should be famous" Harlem Renaissance poets as well as Nikki Grimes excellent Golden Shovel reinterpretations of them. As a children's librarian, I am already well familiar with Ms. Grimes work and I am a real fan of her talent. Yet, I am also an English major - so how is it I've never heard of any of these wonderful female poets from the Harlem Renaissance? I am honestly not a poetry fan, yet I truly enjoyed each of these pieces and wonder why I've never heard of a single one of these women before. It is truly commendable of Ms. Grimes to use her talents to help raise awareness of these wonderful voices.

I think this is an excellent poetry book for young teens, and I can see it used expertly in a classroom setting just as easily as I can see it being read for pleasure by a child in their leisure time (not something I'd often say about a book of poetry). Nikki Grimes' Golden Shovel poems are not only excellent on their own merits, but they also serve to bring a fresh/modern voice that serves to highlight the central theme of the original poem. Not a small feat in any work, yet she does this very well.

Am I gushing? I'm just really impressed! Thank you very much for sharing this book in exchange for review.

Beautiful artwork and sentiments! Meaningful, connected poetry. Informative and important brief background on The Harlem Renaissance. 

A definition must add to the library collection!

Experience the largely unsung voices of the women poets of the Harlem Renaissance in this new collection of breathtaking poetry from Nikki Grimes. Despite their unparalleled artistry and brilliance, these women have seldom been met with the same visibility as their male counterparts. LEGACY: WOMEN POETS OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE seeks to remedy this historical erasure by introducing readers to these masterful women and their work. Following each original poem from artists like Helene Johnson, Anne Spencer, and so many more, are new pieces from Nikki Grimes inspired by the former. Using the “Golden Shovel” method, Grimes creates fresh poems which include lines or fragments from the works of these women poets. Accompanied by gorgeous artwork from current celebrated Black women illustrators, this selection of revolutionary poetry can’t be missed.  

All I can say is...wow. From start to finish, LEGACY: WOMEN POETS OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE is a stunning work of art, history, and voice. With a foreword from Grimes, an introduction to the Harlem Renaissance and the Gold Shovel form, followed by three sections of poetry and artwork which are then capped off by poet and illustrator biographies, reading this collection was a transformative experience. Some of my favorite poems include “Room for Dreams,” “Judgement,” and “Flag Salute,” though it’s extremely difficult to choose as every single page, poem, and illustration deserves celebration in its own right. LEGACY is a fantastic introduction to the women’s voices of the Harlem Renaissance, both commemorating and inspiring readers to learn more about their groundbreaking artistic contributions. 

(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing us with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

Nikki Grimes has done it again! "Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance" is a stunning collection of poems written by people whose voices are all too often left out of our discussion and exploration of the Harlem Renaissance. The women of the Harlem Renaissance have not been taught or highlighted as much as their male counterparts, a mirror of so many different elements of our society. Nikki Grimes set out to curate a collection of works from women who were part of this movement of writers, artists, and musicians but who were not often included in the conversation. 

The collection is laid out in three different parts: Heritage, Earth Mother, and Taking Notice. The themes of identity, environment, and activism are prominent and powerful. A really unique addition to this collection, however, is Grimes' employment of the Golden Shovel. Essentially, she takes one line from each poem and creates her own poem, with each line ending with one of the words from that phrase. So, in addition to the poetry from legends like Alice Dunbar-Nelson, Jessie Redmon Fauset, and Esther Popel, we also get to read Grimes' poetic response to or elaboration on each one. It's a masterpiece that will allow younger readers the chance not only to see how important Black womxn's voices were during the Harlem Renaissance, but also how important they continue to be. This is a collection that shows us that we can honor the past while not ignoring the future. It is a collection that truly celebrates Black writers, Black communities, and Black futures. I cannot recommend this collection enough!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance.

I am a huge fan of Nikki Grimes. I enjoy her books of poetry, as well as her novels in verse. I know that the golden shovel type of poetry is very hard so knowing this the poems stand out even more in their beauty. I love that she is introducing Black women from the Harlem Renaissance because I am sure many are unknown to children and adults alike. I enjoyed seeing the poems she took her lines and inspiration from for her own poetry. I also loved the art work by Black women artists. As I turned the pages I gasped at some of the art it was that beautiful. This is a great introduction to Black women poets that will hopefully spark an interest to delve deeper. This would work as a great read-aloud.

Stunning and awe-inspiring, this forthcoming collection of brilliant women poets and illustrators will have you savouring every word and brush stroke. In LEGACY: WOMEN POETS OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE (January 5, 2021), Nikki Grimes brings the magnificently talented women poets of the Harlem Renaissance to the forefront by sharing their poems which served as her inspiration for her own poetry using “The Golden Shovel” form. After providing an introduction to the history of the time period and its influence, Grimes alternates poems with her own, followed by breathtaking, luminous illustrations from African-American artists (swipe to see their names) that kept my eyes glued to the page. I slowly read each poem and was immersed in poignant, beautiful prose and I found myself rereading many of them again to try and fully comprehend the mastery of each woman. It was fascinating how Nikki Grimes used the form to bring new meaning to the words, but also pay homage to those who came before. I enjoyed reading the included poet biographies to further appreciate their history and accomplishments. LEGACY: WOMEN POETS OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE is a powerful, thought-provoking, and extremely moving, gorgeous collection that you will feel with every fiber of your being.

Nikki Grimes makes a significant contribution to the archival recovery of important Black women poets. As Grimes notes, scholarship and literary collections focused on the Harlem Renaissance is dominated by Black male authors. Giving voice to the authenticity of these Harlem Renaissance women poets and their poetry through LEGACY centralizes the importance of literary recovery work. Grimes also shows readers the crafting of found poems and the poetic form of the Golden Shovel. The illustrations in the collection were vivid in detail and color, enhancing the subject conveyed through the different poems. LEGACY makes for an enjoyable reading experience and as a teaching tool for creative writing.

Innovative "Golden Shovel" poetic form first highlights a poem from various Harlem Renaissance women poets before Grimes creates a new poem  in which each line ends with one word from a line or stanza of the highlighted poem resulting in both celebration and transformation of the original work. Breathtaking  full color illustrations complement the pairings. Highly suggested as an addition to a  school library collection.

A lovely and important collection that belongs in every school and public library and would make an excellent gift for anyone. It's one of those books you'll treasure and find yourself returning to very often. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to review this book.

In her new collection of poetry, legendary poet and author Nikki Grimes introduces readers to the poetry form of, Golden Shovel. This is a fun, challenging, and very creative form of poetry writing! Golden Shovel takes an entire poem, or a line from a poem, to create a whole new poem! The process begins by placing the words from the original poem in the right margin, with each line of the new poem ending in a word from the original poem! Trying my hand at this style I used a poetic verse from Grime's book, Garvey's Choice, titled, "Summer Lost and Found" I chose the line, "Stories are breadcrumbs," to create my new poem:

                  We are our STORIES
             Our stories we ARE
Everything else is just BREADCRUMBS 

Grimes creates her Golden Shovel poems by using the original poetry of prominent women poets of the Harlem Renaissance! This collection features the poetry of Helen Johnson, Angelina Weld Grimké, Mae V. Cowdery, Jessie Redmon Fauset, Esther Popel, Gertrude Parthenia McBrown, Effie Lee Newsome, Georgia Douglas Johnson, and many more! 

While all of the poems, both original and new, are intriguing and thought-provoking, so too are the illustrations included after each poem! Beautiful, vibrant, and stunning illustrations from artist such as Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Nina Crews, Pat Cummings, Laura Freeman, Cozbi Cabrera, Vashti Harrison, Ekau Holmes, and others will simply take your breath away!

The poems included in this collection will encourage and inspire creative thinking and writing, and will leave the reader wanting to create poems of their own!

Grimes provides the reader with background information and historical significance of the Great Migration and the Harlem Renaissance in the forward of the book. Biographies of all of the poets and illustrators is also included afterward.